A class of eight—five young men and three young ladies—this year complete the course of study, and go out to work at teaching in three different States, one taking a prominent place in the schools at Fort Smith, Ark.
We have for the entire year had the active sympathy and hearty encouragement of the best people of the city; Gen. Humes, a very prominent lawyer and formerly a major-general in the Confederate army, giving the annual address, and the daily papers making full reports of lectures, graduating exercises, &c.
Our industrial work has developed to our entire satisfaction, and by all our patrons and friends is now regarded as a very important and valuable feature of the school.
A class of girls has had careful instruction, with actual practice in the experimental kitchen, in the nature, relative values and healthful methods of cooking different articles of food, including vegetables, meats, breads, pastry, &c., &c. Classes in needlework, knitting, use of sewing machines, &c., have had daily lessons and practice.
We are confident that instruction of this nature can be given in connection with a day-school, without interfering with regular school-work, and at slight expense and small increase of teaching force. I am anxious to have a workshop fitted up where the boys and young men shall receive instruction in wood-working and the ordinary use of tools for that purpose.
We shall have a full and strong attendance for next year. We are having more students from the country, and usually they are those who put to good use the training and instruction they carry from here. Not less than seventy of our students will be teaching during vacation, those of former years with those going out from this year’s work. I should look upon our work as of little importance and value if our influence did not extend and multiply in this way.
EMERSON INSTITUTE.
REV. O. D. CRAWFORD, MOBILE.